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Watched a documentary just now called King Corn. It's about the prominence of the corn crop and industry in our country and in our food. Anyone who is familiar with Michael Pollan's book The Omnivore's Dilemma will be familiar with the issues discussed here, for instance, the explosion of high fructose corn syrup in our food. Pollan is interviewed throughout the film and a note in the credits thanks him and says that he heavily influenced the film.
Most of the movie takes place in Greene, Iowa. I've been to Greene a few times, and I've been to mass in the church whose steeple you can see in at least one shot of the town. Not everyone will be able to appreciate that kind of relation, but anyone can appreciate the openness and honesty of Iowans and small Iowan farmers. They are a significant part of keeping this film entertaining and pleasant as well as informative. The lead narrators and makers of the film (think Michael Moore or Morgan Spurlock) have almost no entertaining personality, but all is forgiveable because of what they do show us.
It is important that books like Pollan's and films like King Corn make it to a wider audience. It is important that people realize what is going on. It is a noble desire to advocate for healthy living, and protect the small, independent family farms, and work government policies, and commercial interests when possible, around both of these goals. A smart consumer will be a healthy consumer. These films and books make that possible.
If you have netflix, you can watch it instantly.
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